Jos-born, world-bound: MSmooth blends soul, Afrobeats and reggae into a sound built for a global stage.
MSmooth, born Moses Ayiki Kuchili, is a singer and songwriter from Bassa Local Government Area in Plateau State, Nigeria, raised in the musically rich city of Jos. He began performing as a dancer at just six years old before moving into gospel and acapella groups and eventually going solo, drawing on influences that stretch from Fela Kuti and 2Face Idibia to Stevie Wonder, D’Angelo and the Beatles. Across the early 2010s he built a following in Nigeria with singles including “Money,” “Olomoge,” “Winsh” and “Sorry If I Worry,” picking up national blog and newspaper coverage and performing at events including the 2013 Nigeria Entertainment Awards nominee announcement in Lagos. After years of holding a vault of self-funded, unreleased material, MSmooth is now bringing his catalogue to the world for the first time, with his distribution handled by MN2S Label Services ahead of a debut single planned for release this September.
How did you get into music? What is your musical background?
“Music was just part of the air in our house growing up. Every morning, we’d wake up to either my grandfather or my dad playing the Molo, a traditional Nigerian stringed instrument, kind of like a guitar, and singing while they played. That’s where it all started for me. Being surrounded by that acoustic sound so early gave me a love for musical greats across every genre. I spent a lot of my youth studying the vocal arrangements, the harmonies and songwriting from people like Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Take 6, Boyz II Men, Commission, Musiq Soulchild, D’Angelo, Maxwell and also Brian McKnight. I was equally drawn to ABBA, The Beatles, Phil Collins, Enya and Lauryn Hill plus reggae and hip hop artists like Buju Banton, Luciano, Busy Signal, Jay-Z and Nas.
There were a number of different musical influences from my African roots too. People like Panam Percy Paul, Dan Marayan Jos, Dorcas Bentu, Fela Kuti, 2Face Idibia, and also gospel singers like Uncle Sam and Papa San. Though I actually started dancing at six, all that musical background was underneath the whole time and eventually took over. It didn’t feel like a leap, just the next step.”
Tell us about your first release and what was special about that one.
“Hearing my songs on the radio for the first time and seeing the videos on African cable TV was surreal. There’s really no way to put that feeling into words, but what honestly got me most was walking down the street and hearing everyday people talking about a song they loved, having no idea I was standing right there as the artist. That’s when it really hit me that there are no limits to how far good music can travel.”
Tell us about the latest project you worked on.
MSmooth’s team confirms he is preparing the rollout for his debut official UK single, set for release in September 2026. The track comes from a catalogue produced entirely from scratch that he held back for years, waiting for the right release partner to bring it to a global audience.
Could you describe your musical style and creative vision?
“One word: fusion. I’ve never wanted to box myself into one lane. I’ve got records that live fully in Afrobeats, R&B, soul or reggae, but most of what I make pulls a little bit from all of those at once. What I’m going for is music that feels natural, which I achieve by blending several genres. Something that can travel globally but still feels true to where I’m from.”
What advice would you give to anyone thinking of entering the music industry?
“Don’t give up. This industry is tough to break into, and there’ll be plenty of noise before anyone hears you, but you have to keep showing up. Keep writing, keep creating, keep pushing. There aren’t really days off in this business, so you need to genuinely love the process because that’s what gets you through it.”
What are your plans for the rest of the year and beyond?
“Really just to get my music out to more people and keep building on that. I want to create a genuine, lasting connection with listeners around the world, and partnering with MN2S Label Services is what’s going to kick that off this autumn.”
What have you enjoyed about working with MN2S Label Services?
His team describes the experience so far as professional and fast moving, with the distribution agreement now finalised and marketing plans for the autumn rollout already underway.